Fluid recoil-check.



m. 732,676. I PATENTED JUNE 30,1903

T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM.

FLUID REGOIL CHECK.

Arrmouxoxq rum) JULY 1B, 1902. 110 MODEL.

Patented June 30, 1903.

Unease. rates Parana? @hhliClEo ARTHUR TREVOR DAV/SON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS & MAXIM, LIMITED, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND.

FLUID escorts-oases SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 232,676, dated June 30, 1903.

Original application filed December 9, 1901, Serial No. 85,296. Divided and this application filed July 18,1902. $erial No.116,089- (No model-l all 2072.07 22 z'r' may cancer/t.-

Be it known that we, ARTHUR TRE OR DAWSON, lieutenant of Royal Navy, and GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, engineer, subjects ot' the King of Great Britain, residing-at 32 Victoria street, Vestminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in and Relating to Fluid Recoil-Checks, of which the following is aspecification.

'lhis'invention relates to hydraulic buffers for absorbing the energy of recoil in quickfiring gnns.

The chief object of our invention is to provide means -for controlling the velocity with which the gun runs forward after recoil, said invention being applicable to that form of recoil-buffer in which the cylinder has a hollow piston-rod and aretarding-ram extending inwardlyfroin one end of the cylinder into the said hollow piston-rod. The piston is partly withdrawn from the rain duringrecoil, there by leaving within the piston-rod a space which becomes filled with liquid that must be displaced by the rain while the gun is being run forward after recoil, provision beinginade for the displaced liquid to be forced through a restricted passage, thus controlling the .velocity with which the gun i-s'returned to its firin position. \Ye' provide improved means for controlling the flow of the said liquid to and from the said hollow piston-rod, as will be hereinafter des ribed, the chief feature of our invention being the formation of the ram with passages fortheliquid, which passages are controlled bya valve located in the ram, which valve is kept on its seat by the action of gravity unaided by-springs or the like.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a hydraulic buffer or recoil-cylinder constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 1 1.

A is the recoil-cylinder; 13, the hello piston-rod; 13', its piston; (J, the ram, which pro- ;iects from one end of the cylinder and enters the hollow piston-rod. A is the key within the cylinder A, and B the aperture in said for increasing the resistance to the recoil-as said piston travels in the cylinder during the the piston-rod B is secured.

The inner end of the ram is formed with a 5-5 head 0, in front of which a sleeve c'-is screwed or otherwise secured, the diameter of said sleeve being such as to accurately fit the in terior of the hollow piston-rod like a piston. The said inner end ofthe ram is alsoformed with one or more passages 0 leading to a space 0 wherein the gravity-seating valve 0* is situated. From this space passages c 0 extend, the former leading to a transverse passage c communicating with the annular space around the ram 0 between the sleeve 0' and a bushing I), screwed or otherwise affixed to the piston l3 and fitting around the said rain. The other passage, 0 leads to a longitudinal bore 0 extending through the ram. The said bore 0 has one or more transverse openings c", leading to the space a of the cylinder A at a point immediately in front of the piston 1% when the latter is in its forward position. The opening or openings 0 are controlled by a plug c, past which the liquid has to flow from the bore 0- to reach the said opening or openings 0*. By reducing the diameter of the said plug 0" or't'orming flats thereon the fiow'of the liquid past said plug can-be egulated as required.

hen recoil of. the gun takes place, the liquid from the space behind the piston 13 flows through the passages 71' in the piston, and thereby reaches the annular space within the piston-rod l1, surrounding therain C.

Said'liquid then flows through the passages e c and by lifting the valve reaches the space behind the ram through the openings of the ram. On the return movement of 0 the gun to the liring position the valve 0 closes the passage 0, and the liquid within the hollow piston-rod behind the ram then liows along the passage (5 into the bore and past the plug to the opening 0 r openings (5, loading to the front of the piston,

thereby causing the gun to come very gently .iston that acts in conjunction with said hev I 2: rest in its iirin osition.

We are aware that it has before been proposed to provide a ram with a horizontal working valve controlled by spring-pressure; but valves of this kind have been found to possess the disadvantage that their action is not always certain. This disadvantage does not exist with a gravity-controlled valve. W'e are also aware that it has been proposed to use a gravity-controlled valve on the hollow piston-rod; but in that case there is the disadvantage that if the valve is required to be inspected it is necessary to disconnect the gun from the piston-rod and to withdraw the latter. In our case by reason of the valve being placed on the ram it is only necessary, when the valve is to be inspected, to Withdraw the ram from the piston-rod without disconnecting the gun.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is-

In a recoil apparatus for guns having a ho1 low piston-rod and a rain, the combination with the ram formed with two main passages therein both of which communicate with a recess in the ram provided with passages communicating with the hollow piston-rod at the rearward end of theram, one of the aforesaid main passages being comparatively short and opening laterally into a space between the rain and the hollow piston-rod and the other of said main passages being comparatively long and extending forward and the said short passage and fitting the hollow piston-rod, a bushing in the piston fitting said ram, and an adjustable plug on the cylinder'entering and controlling the forward end of the aforesaid long main passage in the ram, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 7th day of July, 1902.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUQKHAM'.

WVitnesses:

IIENRY KING, 0. A. SEARLE. 

